IP 1: Educational
Usability
Usability refers to “a quality attribute that assesses how easy
user interfaces are to use. The word “usability” also refers to methods for
improving ease-of-use during the design process” (Nielsen 2003). It sets a
basic standard and guideline to evaluate the effectiveness, efficiency and
satisfaction when design a HCI tool.
HCI stands for “Human Computer Interaction”. HCI sees evolvement
– refer to HCI past and now graph below, and focus on the interaction with and
through the technology employed while for the ultimate purpose to support human
beings in a more efficient, effective, and satisfying user-experience way.
Based on the
Issa and Isaias (2015) chapter on HCI and Usability, HCI assist
designers and users to identify the system needs while usability
confirms if the system is efficient, effective, accessible, safe, easy to pick
up and memorize, practical and provide satisfying experience to the end users.
10 aspects of factors and 7 criteria as good usability is analyzed.
By further
analyze the 7 criteria provided
in the Issa and Isaias (2015) and search for a practical
example for better understanding, the usability analysis in is general
but not much focus on educational context, which gives us discussion space.
From
educational perspective, Educational usability, thus can be
reasonably deducted as the effectiveness of students / learners to get access
to the knowledge, the learnability of information provided for students to self-taught
and implement, the flexibility to use different media and system for human
computer interaction, robustness of the system or learning tool designed to
provide immediate support and track progress for learners, the easiness for
users come up with error during implementation, the easiness to memorize
knowledge and skills learned without repeatedly go through the whole learning
process again and overall level of joy for using the learning application.
In Woolgar’s study of
usability trials (Steve Woolgar, Configuring the User: The Case of Usability
Trials, 1990, page 58-99), it points out the interesting observations that
provide a count of “usability gone wrong” – how user configuration can lead to
the discount of usability:
The usage or quotation of the text. Writers
invite readers to quote his content yet meanwhile alert and emphasize for
per-permission before quotation.
The role of Abstract. Abstract aims to form a closer relationship between
reader and the text but debatably, limit readers’ own critical thinking by
constraint on how they can use it. After all, Abstract is
produced by writer, as a summary of his key points, which re-emphasize the
points writers want readers to understand, acknowledge and agree.
Configuration
is originated as a basic concept in computer science space where in computers
and computer networks, a configuration often refers to the specific hardware
and software details in terms of devices attached, capacity or capability and
exactly what the system is made up of. (https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/configuration#:~:text=1)%20In%20computers%20and%20computer,often%20means%20the%20network%20topology.)
It is the manner in which components are arranged to make up the computer
system. User configuration allows the system designed to define users who are
accessible the system. For system and learning tool design, it sets the target
audience that aims at and makes system more pertinent for specific problems
they aim to tackle.
On
the other hand, the usability trial further analyze if the expected result can
be achieved by user configuring process. By configuring users, designers can do
back testing more effectively and further analyze different group of learners
(previous education background, financial background, parental impact,
geography, religion background, gender, age etc) could make a difference in
testing result thus further test the usability of the learning tool designed.
"…the usability evaluation stage is an
effective method by which a software development team can establish the
positive and negative aspects of its prototype releases, and make the required
changes before the system is delivered to the target users" (Issa
& Isaias, 2015, p. 29).
“…the design and production of a new entity…amounts to a process of configuring
its user, where 'configuring' includes defining the identity of putative users,
and setting constraints upon their likely future actions” (Woolgar, 1990).
The two excerpts discussed two angles for the
implementation of usability. First excerpt discusses the function and purpose
of usability evaluation stage while second excerpt emphasizes on putting a
constraint / set a boundary based on potential users’ configuration and focus
on the dynamic process of continuous user configuration which helps re-shape
the prototype. They complement
each other and together complete the concept of usability.
In conclusion, putting usability in
educational context, could mean the valuation standard and goal which
demonstrates the effectiveness to establish a pedagogy prototype and test by
learner configuration.
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